Flush tank



July 17, 1951 P, OLE 7 2,560,532

FLUSH TANK Filed June 11, 1949 I V /W//// A l/ I 3nventor PAR/(ER C045 6 g. Jim

Gttorneg Patented July 17,

ATENT OFF-ICE FLUSH TANK Parker Cole, San Gabriel, Calif., assignor of onehalf to Arthur T. Cole, Alhambra, Calif.

Application June 11, 1949, Serial No. 98,449

4'Claims. 1

This invention relates to flush tanks and similar liquid discharging devices.

An object of the present invention is to provide control means in a flush tank or the like, wherein the conventional ball valve is eliminated and wherein the water is siphoned out of the tank rather than merely dumped as when a valve is employed. 7

Another object of the invention is to minimize the noise usually attending the operation of conventional flush tanks by instituting a quietly operating siphon action to eiiect discharge of water in the tank.

Another object of the invention is to insure discharge of a required amount of water from the tank and to obviate premature shut-on as may occur when a valve control is used.

The invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description. However, the drawings merely show and the following description merely describes one embodiment of the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view, partly in vertical section, showing a flush tank embodying a structure according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan sectional view as taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

The flush tank 5 is of conventional form and includes a standard discharge fitting 6 and a standard inlet fitting 1, both carried by the bottom wall 8 of the tank. Also, conventionally, a loosely fitting cover 9 is applied to the top of the tank. Fitting I mounts a ball cock valve Ii] that controls inlet of water and the latter has a filler tube ll extending therefrom and into fitting 6.

Accordin to the present invention an exten sible siphon I2 is disposed in tank 5 and carried by fitting 6, a float I3 is connected to the siphon to extend the same when buoyed up by Water in the tank, and manual means [4 is provided for contracting the siphon to institute a flushing operation.

The siphon l2 comprises a stand pipe I5 extending from fitting 6, a siphon discharge leg l6 loosely telescopically disposed in pipe IS, a siphon inlet leg I! arranged in parallel relation to leg l6, and a preferably smooth bend l8' connecting the upper portions of the siphon legs. Actually, the siphon discharge leg comprises leg IE, that portion of pipe l5 which extends therebelow, the fitting 6, and such tube or pipe (not shown) that extends from said fitting for connection to a receptacle receiving the discharge from the tank. Inlet leg I! is shorter than the leg just described and terminates at the bottom in a laterally angularly directed inlet opening l9. To prevent fluid leakage into the extensible leg of the siphon, a suitable seal 20 is provided to seal between pipe I5 and leg 16. When, as shown, leg I6 is inside pipe [5, said seal is disposed between the upper end of said pipe and the upper end of the leg immediately below the start of bend l8. Tube l6 may externally engage pipe IS, in which case seal 20 would be placed adjacent fitting 6. In either case, seal 20 may comprise the extensible bellows shown or other suitable sealing devices.

' The float i3 is affixed to the siphon. The size of the float and its position relative to that point 2|, the lowest point of bend i8, is such that when it is floated or buoyed by water, said point 2| will not be immersed. The level of water 22 must be below point 21 when the siphon is extended due to the buoyancy of the float. This is the initial level of water before flushin is instituted. The form of float is immaterial, but the siphon bend I8 is to be connected thereto whereby the point 2| will be above the bottom of the float a sufiicient distance to also be above the level of the water in which the float is buoyed.

The means I 4 comprises an operating handle 23, preferably pivoted, and an arm 24 extending from the handle pivot and engaged with the top of float l3.

Operation in leg I! will spill thereover into leg l6; As the float is further depressed to the dot-dash position, the water will fill bend l8 to the exclusion of air and the siphon is started, the water being drawn through inlet I9 and discharging through fitting 6. Water level 22 will lower as the discharge progresses until the topmost por- 3 tion of said inlet 19 is uncovered and the siphon is broken. The depleted level will then be at 25. The siphonin force will draw all the water out of leg I? leaving only the residue of water to the level of 25. As the tank is again filled through inlet 1 and ball cock valve II], the siphon will retain its depressed or low position until the float I3 is again buoyed up and, when the level 22 is achieved, the inlet flow will stop and the tank is again ready to be operated The ball cock valve l0, through an arm 26 that straddles leg I! and a connecting rod 21, is controlled by the float, being closed when the float is up and open when said float is depressed.

While the invention that has been illustrated and described is now regarded as the preferred embodiment, the construction is, of course, subject to modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore not desired to restrict the invention to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a flush tank, an extensible siphon comprising a stand pipe terminating in a bottom discharge, a siphon discharge leg telescopically engaged with said stand pipe, a siphon inlet leg, a bend connecting the upper ends of said legs, means connecting the stand pipe and discharge leg to seal between the same, a float carried by said legs and bend to buoyantly hold the bend above the level of water in the tank, and manual means to depress the float and thereby telescopically slide the discharge leg relative to the stand pipe to contract the siphon and depress said bend below said Water level for starting siphoning of the water in the tank.

'2. A siphon for a flush tank and the like comprising a longer extensible discharge leg, a shorter inlet leg, a bend connecting said legs, and a float connected to said bend and having buoyancy to extend the extensible leg.

3. A siphon for a flush tank and the like comprising an extensible discharge leg, an inlet leg generally parallel to the discharge leg, a bend connecting the upper ends of said legs, and a float connected to said bend and having buoyancy to extend the discharge leg.

4. A siphon for a flush tank and the like comprising an extensible discharge leg, an inlet leg generally parallel to the discharge leg, a bend connecting the upper ends of said legs, and a float mounted directly on the bend and having buoyancy to simultaneously elevate the inlet leg and extend the discharge leg.

PARKER COLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 447,534 Bacon Mar. 3, 1891 692,611 Burgum Feb; 4, 1902 1,077,329 Cabral Nov. 4, 1913 1,193,784 Hinkle Aug. 8, 1916 1,224,845 Brigham et a1 May 1, 1917 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 176,311 France May 24, 1886 

